President Obama to Visit Burma, A Presidential First

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — No American president has ever visited Burma, which renamed itself Myanmar in a shift toward democracy several years ago. Now, the country is making some reforms, and President Obama is paying a first-ever visit on Monday.

Critics of the president’s landmark trip to Myanmar, which the U.S. still calls Burma, complain it is too soon to reward the repressive government there for the modest reforms it’s made. But White House National Security Advisor Tom Donilon is adamant about the trip.

“This is a moment where the president really can attempt to lock in the progress that’s been made,” he said.

President Obama’s biggest photo op is to be at the home of fellow Nobel Peace prize winner Aung San Suu Ky whose long years under arrest are over.